c1900 80 Drawer Amberg’s Imperial Letter File Cabinet

This antique oak filing cabinet by Amberg’s File & Index Company, circa 1900, features an impressive 80 drawers—77 of which remain functional—making it a remarkable survivor of early office furniture design. Each drawer is fitted with a turned wooden pull, and the piece retains its original brass Amberg patent tag for authenticity. The cabinet also includes a convenient pull-out writing or sorting shelf. Founded in 1875, the Amberg File & Index Company revolutionized recordkeeping and won numerous awards in the late 19th century for its innovative filing systems. Their “Imperial Letter File” series, typically crafted from oak or walnut, incorporated small dovetailed drawers often designed to hold correspondence, invoices, or documents secured by spring clips inside. Today, Amberg cabinets are highly sought after for both their craftsmanship and historical significance—equally at home in a collector’s study, retail display, or as a striking statement piece of functional American industrial heritage.